Here's an analysis which comes closer than most in showing what's actually going on between Japan and China. It's another perspective on Japan's absorption into the Chinese economic zone. On Monday I cited a number of factors behind that absorption. This article in particular discusses how Japan's relations with the US are complicating PM Abe's attempts to move toward rapprochement with China. -- RF

## War on cash/cashless society/cryptocurrencies ##Police seize India's first Bitcoin ATMIndia's first Bitcoin ATM lasted a little over a week and its seizure is another sign that the country's once-buoyant crypto ecosystem is crumbling

The Chinese are working hard to win over Japan and further absorb it into the Chinese economic zone. As globalization recedes, the US will get edged out. In a way this is a return to the past when China dominated East Asia and the Chinese written language was the Latin of the East. -- RF

Here's another example of the crucial difference between fossil fuels and renewables: In the case of fossil fuels, nature did all the hard work for us; on the other hand, renewables require that we do all the work ourselves. As such, with renewables we can never obtain the high energy returns that fossil fuels provide. Biofuel dreamers wasted billions of dollars because they failed to see this difference. -- RF

WikiLeaks' Legacy of Exposing US-UK ComplicityWikiLeaks is vilified by governments (and increasingly by journalists) for its exposures, including of the U.S.-UK "special relationship" in running a joint foreign policy of deception and violence that serves London and Washington's elite interests.

Ignore the government sources and "experts." A combination of a weakening US Empire, net energy decline, an increasingly fragile world financial system, reverse globalization, and other powerful factors will result in a dwindling US presence and rapidly growing Chinese influence in Asia. -- RF

Experimental studies were conducted with a view toward commercialization but the turbine, one of the world's largest with a rotor diameter of 167 meters, was deemed unprofitable due to multiple malfunctions decreasing the utilization rate.

## Energy/resources ##Junk oil:U.S. Shale Has A Glaring ProblemOil prices are down a bit, but are still close to multi-year highs. That should leave the shale industry flush with cash. However, a long list of U.S. shale companies are still struggling to turn a profit.

Millions of pounds of ready-to-eat salads and premade food items including entrees, burritos, wraps and pizzas at several big name retailers such as Harris Teeter, Kroger, Whole Foods, 7-Eleven, Trader Joe's and Walmart have been recalled due to the potential risk of listeria and salmonella contamination.